The Weasley Triangle
by CecilyHallward
Summary: Fred and Angelina have been dating for years, but kind of left George behind. So George persuades Hermione to pretend to date him. But what about Ron?
1. Pretend to Date?

George walked into his and Fred's joke shop on Diagon Alley. "Morning, Fred," he yawned. However, he didn't see just Fred. He saw him and Angelina Johnson, kissing at the front desk. "Er...Fred?"  
  
Fred and Angelina jumped. "George! Erm...You're...here..."  
  
George stared, but finally forced words out of his mouth. "Yeah. I work here, but I'll...leave and let you...get back to...that..." He went round to his office in the back and sat down at his desk. He started to file order forms when Fred walked into the office.  
  
"Hey, George...can you take over for me today, mate?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well...Me and Angelina kind of...have plans..." said Fred, grinning.  
  
George's face fell. "Oh..." He paused. "Sure, I can take over."  
  
"Aw, thanks, because we need to leave right now..." Fred said as he glanced at his watch.  
  
"Oh..." George stood up and went round to the front desk. "I'll just stay here...then..."  
  
"Oh, thanks, George. I swear I'll take over for you sometime." Fred clapped George on the back and led Angelina outside and onto Diagon Alley.  
  
"Bye..." George watched his brother walk out with his girlfriend.  
  
Angelina and Fred had been going out for a while; they started soon after Fred and George opened the joke shop three years ago, fresh out of Hogwarts. Now it was Ginny's last year, and everyone was surprised at how fast the time went by. Well, everyone except George. George never had too many friends, and neither did Fred, because one was all the other needed until Fred started to date Angelina. Now he seemed not to need him at all. He rarely saw Fred anymore. The days went by slowly because George never seemed to have anyone to talk to anymore. Fred had moved out of the Burrow to live in an apartment with Angelina. George got another apartment in the same building, but still rarely saw or talked to Fred.  
  
Today was just the icing on the cake. George had the store alone, again, but he brightened when Hermione Granger came into the store.  
  
"Hey! Haven't seen a welcoming face in awhile," said George. "How are things down at the Ministry?" Hermione had gotten a job offer straight out of school. The Ministry was always impressed with her intelligence and dedication.  
  
Hermione smiled at George. "Stressful...especially in my department."  
  
"Department for the Muggle protection people?" George smiled. "How's that stressful?"  
  
"Ask your father...he's stressing it right along with everyone. Your dad is a wonderful man to work for, though, no doubt."  
  
"That's good. Everything's been better at the Burrow since we all moved out and got jobs. And no one has more of a passion for that department than him."  
  
"You can say that again." Hermione tugged the sticks that were holding her hair in place loose, so that her curly, chestnut hair fell to her shoulders. "How have Fred and Angelina been doing together?"  
  
George looked at his hands. "Perfect. They couldn't be happier."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I can't believe...Fred has to see it...how he could be so blind..."  
  
George smiled. "Hermione, after almost ten years, you still never make any sense."  
  
Hermione laughed. "Well, Fred has to be blind to see that you're not happy."  
  
George's smile faded. "Oh no, I'm happy for him. Very happy..."  
  
Hermione said plainly, "I know you're not."  
  
"What can I do? I can't break them up..."  
  
"No, you can't..." Hermione smiled. "But if you got a girlfriend, maybe he would realize what he's putting you through."  
  
"That'll never...wait..." George smiled. "That's brilliant! Hermione, that's absolutely brilliant!"  
  
Hermione smiled. "Well...maybe not brilliant, but..."  
  
"Will you be my girlfriend?"  
  
She paused. "What?!?"  
  
"Not for real! Just to show Fred...I mean...we could...just mess with his mind a little!"  
  
"George...I can't pretend to be your girlfriend!"  
  
"Why not?" George simpered. "Please, Hermione?" He slipped from behind the counter and grabbed her hand gently. "Pleeeeeeease??"  
  
Hermione sighed. "Okay..."  
  
"Thank you, Hermione, thank you!" He kissed her on the cheek and ran back behind the counter."  
  
"You're doing WHAT?!?"  
  
"I told you, Ron. I'm just going to pretend to go out with George so that Fred can see how lonely George is without him."  
  
"But...but...but..." Ron spluttered.  
  
"Ron, it's not for real. He seemed really upset about Fred and Angelina when I talked to him."  
  
"Ron, just let Hermione do this. It's not like when Ginny started dating Michael Corner," said Harry reasonably.  
  
Ron sighed. "But, what if you actually start going out?"  
  
"We're not going to...and besides, what would it matter if we did?"  
  
Ron paused. "I dunno. It would be weird...you dating my brother..."  
  
"Will you talk with me over there, Ron? Please?" asked Harry, pulling Ron away before he could answer. "What is the matter with you?" he said when they were out of Hermione's earshot.  
  
"I...I dunno...I just want...Don't want her to get hurt...or something."  
  
Harry pulled back. "I knew it...I've suspected it for years...you're in love with Hermione..."  
  
Ron blushed. "So?"  
  
Harry's eyes opened wide. "You...you...I didn't know...I just guessed...you...Ron?"  
  
"Please don't tell her, please! Harry, she can't know!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"BECAUSE SHE'S ALREADY DATING MY BROTHER!"  
  
Ron stormed away, leaving Harry completely stunned... 


	2. Jealousy and Kisses

Fred stared in disbelief when he walked into George's apartment and saw Hermione sitting with George on his couch. His arms were around her waist, and her arms around his neck, and they were watching Muggle television. He just stared for awhile, then George looked up.  
  
"Oh...Hi, Fred." George smiled nonchalantly.  
  
"Hello. Fred," said Hermione, also smiling. "How have you been?"  
  
"Er...great, Hermione..." He stared for another moment, then backed away slightly. "Er...I'm just going to...go, now..."  
  
"Bye, Fred," said George.  
  
"Bye, Fred," said Hermione.  
  
Fred said "goodbye," and then left for his own apartment. He unlocked the door and pushed it open in a daze.  
  
"What's wrong, sweetheart," asked Angelina as he sat down next to her on the couch.  
  
"George is dating Hermione Granger," said Fred.  
  
"Hermione?" Angelina smiled. "How sweet."  
  
"Sweet? But isn't she a little...I dunno...young for him?"  
  
"Young? No...didn't she go to the Yule Ball with that Krum fellow? He was three years older than her, and your brother is older by only two years."  
  
"Well...but...but, she..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Angelina, kissing him on the cheek. "If it works, it works, and if it doesn't, it doesn't."  
  
"You're right," said Fred, kissing her on the forehead. "You're absolutely right."  
  
Back at George's apartment, Hermione and George were giggling uncontrollably.  
  
"Did you see the look on his face?" said George, laughing.  
  
"He looked like he was about to faint!" Hermione giggled.  
  
George noticed that a lock of curly hair had snuck in front of Hermione's cheek. He wanted to brush it away and tuck it behind her...no...wait...why did he want to do that? Why did he suddenly want so much to touch her hair? He looked away from her for a second while she stopped laughing. She was still in her work clothes, and under her red-trimmed, midnight-blue robes was a dress skirt and white blouse. She looked just about ready to head to a conformist convention, but for some reason, George thought it was a very pretty way of dressing.  
  
"This is fun," said George.  
  
"Yes. And I'm not really into tricking people. But I hope Fred sees that he was kind of leaving you out.  
  
"He will. Don't worry." George looked at Hermione and gently brushed away the loose lock of brown, curly hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek where her hair had been resting, his heart pounding wildly.  
  
"Er...George...Fred's gone, we don't have to..." she stopped as George kissed her on the lips. She surprised herself by kissing him back.  
  
They stayed like that, close to each other, their faces inclined. Hermione looked at George and he gazed back into her eyes.  
  
"I--I'm sorry, George...I...just...I said I'd meet Harry and Ron at the...place..." She picked up her bags and left. George sat back on the couch and contemplated. What just happened? Did he really kiss Hermione? Why did he kiss her? Why did he want to? And he did want to...he didn't know why.  
  
"Hi, Hermione," said Harry when she entered the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Hi, Harry...Where's Ron?"  
  
"Oh, he's coming."  
  
As if on cue, Ron sauntered over to Harry and Hermione's table. "Er...Hi, Hermione."  
  
"Hello, Ron." Hermione smiled.  
  
"How's...my brother?"  
  
Hermione blushed, remembering his kiss. "He's fine," said Hermione.  
  
"How is the...er...dating going?"  
  
"We just started playing the trick on Fred. He walked in on us today and it was so funny! He looked like he was going to faint!"  
  
"Hermione?" Harry was suddenly curious. "Are you actually enjoying tricking someone?"  
  
"Well...all in the name of George's happiness."  
  
Ron nodded. "Mmm-hmm," said Ron. "And...how long do you plan on keeping this up?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I don't know. At least until Fred realizes how weird it is when they're not together and starts spending more time with George again."  
  
"What if he just says 'oh, I'm happy for him' and never does?" Ron was hoping to get her to change her mind, hoping to make it so Hermione called the whole plan off. He was so ready to tell her his feelings for her, but she went and dated his brother.  
  
Hermione swallowed awkwardly. "Well...then I'd probably just...or George would...just tell Fred why..."  
  
"Ah," said Ron, "I see..."  
  
"Well," said Harry, clapping his hands together, "how is everyone's departments doing?"  
  
"Oh, mine's doing wonderfully. Your father is such a wonderful head of department, Ron."  
  
"Thank you," said Ron. "Harry, how's Auror training coming along?"  
  
"Oh, it's great," said Harry excitedly. "We do all this Dark Arts stuff and we all get to practice on these dummies."  
  
"How long is Auror training, Harry," asked Hermione.  
  
"Five years, depending on how good you are."  
  
"Wow, mate...that's a long while," said Ron, who was not keen on studies. "What are you doing for money until you finish?"  
  
"Well, I still have a lot of my parents' money left," said Harry, "And I reckon my new side job will support enough."  
  
"What are you doing as a side job, again, Harry?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Oh, I'm helping Dumbledore with paperwork and stuff. Not that he needs help, he's just getting along now and it's all really convenient for him to have an assistant. He was the one who said that I should be an Auror, then told me I could help him with stuff until my training was over."  
  
They had a very pleasant conversation. The trio didn't have as much time for conversation as they did when they were at Hogwarts, and treasured their conversation time so much.  
  
If only Hermione could see how Ron felt...  
  
"George, how did you end up with Hermione, mate?" Fred asked curiously while they were closing the shop.  
  
"It just happened," said George, smiling knowingly. "She came into the joke shop one day, and then we went to dinner."  
  
"Did you kiss yet?"  
  
"Yeah," said George, slightly blushing. "Just once..."  
  
"Once? Just once?" Fred laughed. "And I'm planning on giving Angelina the..."  
  
George looked confused for a second. "What?"  
  
"You know...the...ultimate gift..."  
  
George blinked. "The ulti--Oh!" George suddenly caught on. "Have you talked to her about this yet, mate?"  
  
"Not yet, but we will talk about it." Fred smiled mischievously. "I reckon it's time. I mean, it has been two and a half years. I've waited awhile now."  
  
"You're going to...wow..." George stared, amazed. "That's a huge step, you know. Don't do anything you're going to regret."  
  
"How can I regret it? We've been on for years."  
  
"Just think, mate."  
  
"George, my wonderful, loving twin...I'm already twenty and pure as a baby's bum. How much longer do I have to wait?"  
  
"I thought you'd wait for me..." said George dejectedly.  
  
"Oh..." Fred glanced downward guiltily. "Well, If you get Granger to...maybe we won't have to wait too long."  
  
"Maybe," said George, "Maybe..." 


	3. What The?

"Can I tell Fred we had sex?"  
  
"WHAT?!?" Hermione whipped round and stared at George.  
  
"Please? He wants to with Angelina, and I don't want him to think I'm behind! Please?"  
  
"NO."  
  
"Please?" George pleaded at her with his big brown eyes.  
  
"No, George Weasley. This had gone absolutely too far."  
  
"You're not suggesting...that you want to..."  
  
"I might be. You are NOT telling Fred we had sex."  
  
"But...But..."  
  
"George, how could you think...how...do you think I would ever let you say that?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione." He stared at his shoes.  
  
"Oh, it's alright." Hermione walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
George hugged her waist.  
  
"You can tell him we kissed, because that's not a lie." Hermione just remember the incident. "What was that...what was that about, anyway?" asked Hermione, drawing back.  
  
"Well...er..." George frantically racked his brain for an excuse for his sudden change in feelings for her, which had remained. "I just didn't want it to be a lie when I told him," said George.  
  
"Very good thinking," said Hermione. "Then this won't be a lie, either." Hermione reached up and pressed her hands against his chest and kissed him sweetly. George, caught off guard, started, but then closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around Hermione. Of course, things got deeper, and George, suddenly inspired, pushed his tongue into Hermione's mouth. Hermione opened her eyes wide for a second, then, remembering that he was only doing this so it wouldn't be a lie when he told Fred, returned the favor.  
  
George really hadn't expected her to French kiss him back...but he was surprised. She really knows what she's doing, he thought, wondering if she had ever kissed anyone before.  
  
And, of course, just as both of them started to really enjoy the kiss, Ron burst into the apartment.  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?"  
  
Hermione, recognizing the voice immediately, broke the kiss and spun around. "Ron!"  
  
"You...you...you..." said Ron angrily, jabbing his finger at George. "You...you...how could you...you...you..."  
  
"Ron, calm down, said Hermione.  
  
George wanted to disappear. He had noticed Ron's feelings for Hermione a long time ago and mentally chastised himself for not thinking about them sooner. He wiped a smudge of lipstick off his lips guiltily.  
  
"Hermione! You...I...can't believe..."  
  
"Ron, what's the problem?"  
  
"YOU!" Ron launched himself at George and punched him square in the nose, making it bleed profusely.  
  
"RON!"  
  
Ron felt tears well up in his eyes. He spun round and ran out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Hermione turned slowly to George, who had made himself stop bleeding with a chewy purple candy. He wiped the blood off with a nearby tissue. She looked at George, and her eyes filled with tears.  
  
"Hermione..."  
  
She fell against him, and George wrapped her in his arms, and she cried into his shoulder.  
  
"Why? What's wrong? What did I do?" Hermione sobbed into his arms.  
  
"Hermione, I should have taken this into consideration sooner. Ron loves you...He always has...but...I didn't...I didn't think..."  
  
"Oh, no..."  
  
Out in the hallway, Ron sunk down against a wall, and cried into his own arms. His Hermione...he had loved her for so long...what happened? What did he do wrong? The image of her and George kept flashing through his mind. he should have kissed her when he had the chance... 


	4. What About Ron?

"Ron?" Harry was surprised to find his best friend in the Three Broomsticks with a pint in his hand.  
  
"Hullo," he said dully.  
  
"Ron, what's up?"  
  
"What do you think? I found them snogging at his apartment." Ron stared at Harry, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Harry sat across from Ron. "What? Hermione and George?"  
  
"DON'T SAY THAT BLOODY NAME IN FRONT OF ME!" Ron shouted, making quite a scene. There was a moment when everyone kind of turned around and stared, then went back to what they were originally doing.  
  
"Ron," said Harry quietly, "calmly, explain what happened..."  
  
Ron took a deep breath. "I walked into George's apartment and saw them snogging," said Ron with quiet fury.  
  
"Wow..." said Harry. "Ron, I'm sorry."  
  
"Where did I go wrong? "Did I do something to make it so she would never go for me?"  
  
Harry watched painfully as his best friend's eyes filled up with tears. "Ron, you didn't do anything. Did she tell you why she was..."  
  
"No...I kind of...ran out..." A tear rolled down Ron's cheek.  
  
Harry hated to watch people cry. He swallowed and looked at Ron. "Well, why don't you ask her. It may not be what you think."  
  
Ron nodded, and stood up from his pint.  
  
George was annoyed when Fred came into the Joke Shop all smiles and bounces.  
  
"What are you so happy about," said George harshly.  
  
"Angelina loved her gift, mate...and what happened to you?"  
  
George looked down at his shoes. "Look...I have to tell you something." George sighed. This wasn't going to be easy to tell him. "I...me and Hermione...we were pretending..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well...because...I never see you anymore! I haven't said anything for almost three years, but every time you and her go out, I've been left somewhere with no one to talk to and...well...we swore on blood when we were five that we wouldn't ever leave the other behind."  
  
Fred stood in shock. "George...I...I had no idea...why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I couldn't!"  
  
"So...you asked Hermione to pretend to be your girlfriend so...you wouldn't get left behind?"  
  
"Yes!" George felt overwhelmed, but refused to cry in front of his brother.  
  
"And...what happened?"  
  
"Well...Hermione and I were kissing...in my apartment, so that when I told you we did, it wouldn't be a lie...and I dunno...I got into it, and so did she. But I think I like her...but Ron..."  
  
"Oh, no..." Fred stared. "Ron didn't walk in on you, did he?"  
  
"Yeah, he did..."  
  
"Crap..."  
  
"I've never seen that expression on Ron's face before..." said George, putting his face in his hands. "He looked like he wanted to kill me...he punched me and made me bleed."  
  
"Ickle Ronniekins? He actually gave a worthy punch?"  
  
"Yeah...Had to use the purple end of the Nosebleed Nougat to make it stop."  
  
"Yikes."  
  
"Yeah. Yikes..." George was hesitant to tell Fred this, but who else was he going to tell? "Fred, I think I like Hermione..."  
  
"Yeah, I know..."  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah, you two have been mates and y--"  
  
"No. I think I...really...like her..."  
  
Fred's eyes widened. "But...but...what about Ron?"  
  
George winced. "I know...but...what am I going to do, Fred?"  
  
"That depends...you think this thing with Hermione is going to last? I mean, like Ron's thing for her did..."  
  
"I dunno...maybe..."  
  
"Why don't you go on a date with her and see?"  
  
"But I've already told you what we're up to..."  
  
"Go on a date with her. Don't tell her you told me...and just...use the excuse you used before...when you kissed her?"  
  
"That I just didn't want it to be a lie?"  
  
Fred squinted his eyes. "That's a pretty lousy lie, George..."  
  
George felt his face grow hot. "I know..."  
  
"Well, if it worked."  
  
"Alright...So where do I take her?"  
  
"Hmm..." said Fred thoughtfully. "Why don't you just take her out to dinner...?" 


	5. Confessions and Roses

"Where were you last night, Hermione," asked Harry when she stepped into the Leaky Cauldron. "Ron and I thought you were going to be here."  
  
Hermione bit her lip, then sat down opposite Harry. "Harry, I need to tell you something. I can't tell Ron..."  
  
"Is...Is it about George," asked Harry cautiously.  
  
"Erm...yes, it is." Hermione looked extremely guilty. "Well, you know that we were pretending to date?" Harry nodded. "Okay. So, when we kissed, George told me that it was so he could tell Fred that we kissed and it wouldn't be a lie, which I totally understand because he probably doesn't want to be lying to his twin."  
  
"Okay...so, why can't you tell Ron this?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not that...but, George and I went out to dinner last night..."  
  
"Er...so that George wouldn't have to lie?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "Yes...well, that's what he told me. So I went to dinner with George. I thought it was going to be awkward. You know...I thought maybe that we would have absolutely nothing in common. But...er...I ended up having a really terrific time...George cares about a lot of the things I care about, excluding House-Elves. He read Hogwarts, A History when he was in third year, but he did so at night so that Fred wouldn't..."  
  
"You realize," interrupted Harry, "that this is going to break Ron's heart?"  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
"Hermione, didn't you wonder why it bothered Ron so much that you kissed George?"  
  
"Er...because it was awkward to see his best friend kissing his brother?"  
  
Harry laughed quietly at Hermione's inability to detect Ron's feelings. "Hermione, he likes you..."  
  
"Well...he's my best friend..."  
  
"No, no," said Harry. "Look, he's in love with you, Hermione. He has been since our fourth year at Hogwarts."  
  
Hermione covered her mouth. "Oh, Harry..."  
  
Harry nodded. "Look, Hermione, I'm not telling you that you can't date George for real or for fake, you just needed to know about Ron."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Harry, what am I going to do?"  
  
"Well...you said yourself that you and George were only pretending..."  
  
"That's the problem," said Hermione.  
  
"What?" Harry was suddenly alarmed. "What do you...you mean? What problem? There's a problem?  
  
"Yes..." Hermione said sorrowfully. "I think I'm falling for George.  
  
"How did the dinner go, mate," asked Fred the next morning at the Joke Shop.  
  
"It was wonderful," said George miserably. "She's perfect..."  
  
"You're in deep, my loving twin," said Fred with a grin.  
  
"Shut up, I know. What am I going to do? I know Ron likes her--"  
  
"Ahem, is in love with her..."  
  
"Fine! I know Ron is in love with her, but I...I really like her, too. We have a lot in common. We have a lot of things in common that I didn't realize. She likes a lot of the same things I do and she says that the Joke Shop was a wonderful idea, even though she tried not to like the idea at first, and she cares about things. She cares about House-Elves and making sure people and creatures are treated equally..."  
  
Fred pretended to wipe a tear from his cheek. "Oh, George..." he said exaggeratedly. "I had no idea she was that wonderful! How silly of me not to notice sooner! She's fit for marriage! How could I have made the mistake of dating Angelina?" He mocked fainting with his hand over his forehead, swooning.  
  
"Shut up, you great prat," said George, restraining the urge to kick Fred's shins. "I'm just saying that I think I know now where Ickle Ronniekins is coming from!"  
  
"Oh, Merlin, you sound like a sodding git."  
  
"Shut up!" George stamped his foot.  
  
"Oooh...temper, temper. Don't have that temper with me, young man, or I will send you straight to the owner."  
  
"I do own this place, along with you."  
  
"I know, I know. Just calm down and tell Uncle Freddy what you're going to do about it."  
  
George looked at him, puzzled. "We don't have and Uncle Freddy. Just a love triangle."  
  
"Yes, a triangle. A triangle of the Weasleys. We have a Weasley Triangle." (A/N: Ahem, thus, the title?)  
  
Hermione stepped into her room at her parent's house to gather some of her things to take to the apartment she was going to rent out in Muggle London just outside of Diagon Alley. She looked up after shutting the door, and saw a red-haired, freckled person standing straight in front of her.  
  
"Ron? What are you doing here?" Hermione's eyes widened at the bouquet of roses and lilies he had in his hand. Her favorites.  
  
"Er...Her...Hermione, I g-got you th-these." He held the flowers out to her, and Hermione could see he was shaking.  
  
"Oh, Ron," she gasped, taking the flowers. "They're beautiful."  
  
"Yeah....I've been waiting for you to get home..." he said, then sneezed.  
  
"Bless you."  
  
"Th--th--th--" he sneezed again. "Thank you."  
  
"Oh, Ron, you're allergic..." she said, backing away and putting the flowers safely away from Ron.  
  
"No, no, I'm fine," he said, sneezing once again into a handkerchief.  
  
"Oh, Ron...sit down..." she said concernedly, and ushered Ron over to her bed. Ron sat down obediently. This struck Hermione as strange. Ron never obeyed to anything. Well, it was for his own good. And he probably didn't feel very good from holding the flowers the whole time.  
  
And he was in love with her.  
  
That statement always popped into Hermione's head when she willed it away. She didn't want to think about how her best friend had loved her for so long. Why couldn't she see it? Why didn't she notice? Now that she looked back, she could see all his signs clearly. Even in their second year, Ron showed that he had a special caring for her, and she didn't notice...probably because his actions so mimicked Harry's. But Harry's didn't have that certain quality that more-than best friends have. Harry was always like a friend, but never more. Ron was always more. He was jealous, too, in their fourth year, of Viktor. She had thought it was just anger. But no, she could see the jealousy ripping through his eyes now.  
  
How strange. How could she have not noticed it before?  
  
"So," said Ron, his allergies clearing up. "How had the Department for Protection of---thingy going?"  
  
"Wonderfully. How is the department of games and sports doing? What are you working on?"  
  
"New racing broom," said Ron excitedly. "It's so cool! It's called the Lightning Rod, and it almost three times faster than the Firebolt. I'm giving a sample to Harry to try out."  
  
"I suppose it beats Malfoy's so-called invention. His father coaxed another branch of your department to make the new Nimbus Two Thousand and Eight." Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"There's no way it could be faster! We only just started on this one!" Ron's horrorstruck face made her laugh slightly.  
  
"I know. From somewhere, I hear he's using speeding charms. But he hasn't thought of using the charm I always love to use."  
  
"Er...Hermione? What charm is that?"  
  
"Well, remember the DA and the Galleons?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"The charm that made them all change the same. That's the one he should use, but I don't think he's thought of it yet," said Hermione brilliantly.  
  
"Wow..." said Ron in awe. "That would be a good idea. I wonder why that git didn't think of it."  
  
"Git it such the...wrong word," said Hermione evilly. "More like, sodding prat."  
  
"And he's getting up there. If he doesn't have Draco test it, he might try to test it himself." Ron sniggered. "He might fall and not be able to ever give it to precious Draco."  
  
Hermione laughed. "Such a nice, pleasant thought, Ronald."  
  
"Aww, why thank you," added Ron sarcastically. "Well, I'd best be off," he said, standing.  
  
Hermione stood too. "Bye, Ron."  
  
It was an awkward silence in which Ron's ears began to redden, and Hermione fiddled with her hair. Then Ron bent down and kissed her cheek. "Goodbye, Hermione."  
  
And he walked out of the room, leaving Hermione with some very mixed feelings. 


	6. I Need to Tell you Something

A/N: Okay, I promise I'll go slower, because I've gotten a couple of reviews saying that I go way too fast...I tried to slow down the fifth chapter but I don't think it worked. So this chapter will go a lot slower, and there will be more details and I'll try harder to make the characters more in character. So that means the chapter is probably going to be longer, also. ::deep breath:: Here we go! Oh, and about George just sitting back and taking the punch, he knew that Ron loved Hermione, and her felt really bad and guilty and stuff. It was kind of out of character but oh, well. I'm not changing it now.  
  
Hermione sighed and looked around her office, recalling the events of the last night. She glanced at the clock, and it ticked tediously and she waited for the hour she could leave. The image of George's face fluttered into her mind and she smiled. He made her feel happy, and she liked it that way. But then Ron's freckles and long nose came into play, and she felt confused. Ron had been her best friend for so long...years...and she couldn't bear to hurt him.  
  
She sighed and picked up her quill, working slowly on a project that would allow her to go to Muggle homes and put a spell prevention on the house, a process that involved millions of homes and only about a hundred witches and wizards getting into and around Muggle homes without being seen, heard, or noticed in any way possible. It was a difficult task, considering wizards tended to be noisier than Muggles in the sort that they would have to mutter incantations.  
  
Finally, as the project came to an end, the clock struck six o'clock and she was free to go back to her home. Today was the day she was to move the very last of her things into her apartment. She gathered her things she needed from her desk, and headed out the door. Once in the hall, she Apparated to her room and gathered her things in another bag she had left on her bed. It was merely a few books, nightclothes, and the flowers Ron had given her. She had put a charm on them so that they would never die, and her charm had prevailed. She smiled, looking at the flowers, forgetting for a moment the triangle she was stuck in.  
  
"Hermione! Sweetheart! Is that you up there?" Her mother's voice floated up from downstairs and permeated through the closed door.  
  
"Yes! I'm just about ready!"  
  
"Well, come down and say good-bye to your father and me!"  
  
Hermione took up her bag and Apparated down to the living room. Her mother came forward and hugged her. "I can't believe my baby is moving out," she said tearfully.  
  
"Oh, mum, I can Apparate back here any time," she said, hugging her mother.  
  
"You know, I never could imagine you living in a place all by yourself," said her father. "I'm very proud of you, 'Mione!" Her father kissed her on her forehead.  
  
"Thanks Dad! Good-bye!" She gave her parents one last wave and Apparated back to her new apartment.  
  
The apartment was quite small and quaint, and her things were put neatly into their proper places. For the past few weeks, she had been transferring her belongings, little by little. The walls were charmed pleasant pastel colours, and she glanced around and smiled. The small living room and kitchen was a pale blue, and there was a small beige love seat in the corner, across from a bookshelf piled high with books about anything and everything. She had a coffee table and a small matching beige recliner. It was different from Muggle recliners. It was very nice, and there was a button you could press to make it softer or firmer, and bubbles and soothing music could play if you said a few special words.  
  
She put the books on the bookshelf and headed to the bedroom in the back. It was painted pale purple and had a bed with a warm patchwork quilt on it her mother and her had started about a year ago and finished recently. She set the nightclothes in her closet, and conjured up a vase for the flowers. She set the flowers in the vase and set them down on the cedar bedside stand.  
  
Now what to do, she thought. She had waited quite a while to move into her apartment, and now that she had, she couldn't think of a thing to do. Hermione thought it might be nice to Apparate to Harry's apartment or the Burrow. Going to the Burrow to see Ron might not have been the best of ideas considering she would have no idea what to talk to him about, so she decided to see what Harry was doing. She Apparated to the door to his apartment and knocked.  
  
"Who is it," came the deep male voice from the other side.  
  
"Hermione!" A few seconds passed and there was a clicking at the door handle as Harry unlocked the door.  
  
"Hullo, Hermione," said Harry warmly as he opened the door. "Fancy that, you coming at this moment. Ron just arrived."  
  
"Oh...Hi, Ron." The freckled face appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Hey, Hermione." Ron was grinning, which was a relief. It was the old grin. The grin she recognized from the start of first year. No matter how much he grew, his genuine smile never changed. It was always lopsided and slightly self-conscious, and only a few of his teeth showed. She grinned back with the grin that changed in her fourth year.  
  
"We were about to have tea, Hermione. Would you like some," asked Harry politely.  
  
"Sure, Harry," she said, almost giggling at the slight formality of the question.  
  
She followed him into his apartment, which was slightly bigger, and loads messier, than hers. They sat in chairs around a square table in the centre of the living room in front of teacups. Harry fetched teacup and saucer for Hermione and poured tea into it from a dark blue teapot that giggled as the tea poured out of it.  
  
"So, Harry," said Hermione as Harry sat down, "How is training going?"  
  
"Still great. We learned how to use bad spells to our advantage. Very interesting, but it reminds me of Flitwick's lessons."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Taught by a short bloke with a squeaker of a voice that treats us like schoolchildren."  
  
Ron laughed. "Cool. So, how's Dumbledore?"  
  
Harry paused, his eyes cast downward. "Not...terrific. He's had this awful cough for awhile, and he has palsy in his right arm that makes it shake pretty badly."  
  
"Oh..." sighed Hermione, her throat tightening. There was a moment of silence in which they all looked at each other uneasily, all keen on changing the subject.  
  
"How was...your dinner with George, Hermione," said Ron, successfully breaking the silence, but bringing up another thing Hermione had dreaded.  
  
Hermione knew she should tell him the truth and that she had a wonderful time and might even like to ask him out again, but this was Ron. This was the boy who had ripped up his Viktor Krum model when she began to date him in their fourth year. Ron would never be able to take something like that, a blow to his pride. She bit her lip and finally decided to say "well, It's was very nice." She smiled. "Your brother is very nice, Ron."  
  
Ron's face fell slightly. "Oh. That's...that's good...very good. I'm glad you all...get along..."  
  
Hermione sighed. She'd have to talk to George later...  
  
Afterwards, Hermione left Harry's apartment and Apparated to George's. She reached up and knocked on the door. The door opened and there stood George in nothing but pink boxer shorts with little red hearts on them. Hermione giggled. George, blushing to the roots of his hair, ran to the bedroom, still leaving the door opened, and reappeared with the rest of his clothes on. Still slightly pink, he asked, "What's...what's up, Hermione?"  
  
"George, we need to talk," said Hermione urgently.  
  
"Erm...all on in..." he said, opening the door more for her to step in.  
  
Hermione wasn't sure how to tell George that she felt bad for Ron because she was going out with George and how Ron had been giving her these pitiful looks and she felt simply awful. She took a deep breath. "George, Ron is my best friend. I just recently found out that...he's liked me for quite a long time. I can't go on dating you if—"  
  
"Hermione, we're not really dating," said George.  
  
In truth, George had found their dinner rather dull and boring. He had done the things he had said he had done, but in truth was quite ashamed of them. He never wanted it to be known that he had actually read a book for his own curiosity and yearning for education.  
  
"Hermione, did you think we were...?"  
  
"But...the way you kissed me," she said, her voice constricting.  
  
"Look, Hermione...it was all good and fun for a while, but we went too far with that dinner. I really think we should...er...pretend to break up."  
  
Hermione nodded numbly. "Y-yes...that's an e-excellent idea."  
  
"Good. I'm glad you understand. I need to attend to some business of mine, so," said George.  
  
"Right...I'll go." Before George could say anything, Hermione Apparated to her apartment building just outside the door. She slumped against the door. How could she have been so stupid? Of course George wouldn't go for her! Why did she think he would? Why, why? She bit her lip in frustration, willing herself not to cry. And she had refused Ron because she was in love with George...or she thought she was. If she hadn't been so stupid in thinking he was actually interested in her, then she would have Ron, and none of this mess would have happened.  
  
She wiped a few tears off her face and unlocked the door. She was about to push it open when she heard a snapping sound behind her. She turned around and stared up into the freckled, long-nosed face of Ron.  
  
"Ron? What are you doing here?" She gazed up into his azure eyes and felt a dreamy sigh rising in her throat. Since when had he possess eyes like that? And since when had his mouth curved upward so gracefully, and his hair fallen so gently into his eyes? And why hadn't she noticed this before?  
  
"Er...well, George kind of...told me what happened just now, and I—"he said, blushing. Hermione had never noticed before that when he blushed around her, the blush wasn't only in his ears, but it crept across his cheeks. He shuffled his feet nervously.  
  
"Well, Ron...I...appreciate you coming," she said with rising formality. She realised she had tears still rolling down her cheeks, and raised a hand to wipe them off.  
  
"Wait...here," said Ron, reaching up. He took his hand and gently wiped the tears away for her. She felt her face go red and shuddered slightly at his touch. She took his hand and held it to her face.  
  
"Ron, I'm so sorry for pretending to go out with George...if I had known, why," she said gently, looking up at him.  
  
Ron looked at her and smiled shyly. "Hermione, I was wondering...after all this mess with George, I don't suppose you'd want to...er...kind of—"said Ron, his hands shaking.  
  
"Kind of...?"  
  
"Will you have dinner with me sometime," he blurted out.  
  
Hermione smiled. "Of course, ," said Ron with a big goofy grin.  
  
"Ron, I...I need to tell you something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"No, here," she said, beckoning him closer to her.  
  
"What?" Ron leaned forward, a curious and confused expression on his face.  
  
"This—"she said. He gently grabbed the front of his coat and pulled him even closer, and kissed his softly, her eyes closed. Ron, taken by surprise, kissed her back and closed his eyes. When they pulled away, both blushing furiously, Ron looked at her.  
  
"Cool," he said simply, and they looked at each other and laughed slightly, neither letting go of the other. And maybe they never will...  
  
A/N: DONE! YAAAAYYY!!! I'm so happy!!! I know, I think the ending was kind of abrupt, but they HAD to kiss!!! 


End file.
